# Chess Time vs Chess Prime 3D

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Chess Prime 3D at 62K against Chess Time's 1.7K. Chess Prime 3D also leads on iOS requirement (9.0 vs 15.6). Chess Time's advantage is update cadence (every 10 days vs every 3 weeks). On price, rating, review sentiment and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Chess Time sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Chess Prime 3D sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Chess Time against 4.6 for Chess Prime 3D. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Chess Prime 3D has 62K ratings behind it against 1.7K, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 86% of Chess Time's written reviews are positive against 81% of Chess Prime 3D's.

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, Chess Prime 3D every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 29, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Chess Time | Chess Prime 3D |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.7 (1.7K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152/reviews)** | [4.6 (62K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-prime-3d/id990477277/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 1.7K | **62K** |
| Positive reviews | **86.2% of reviews** | 81.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | **Every 10 days** | Every 3 weeks |
| Monetization | Freemium | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 42 MB | 61 MB |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | **9.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Haptic Apps LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/421590139) | [Vinta Games](https://appshunter.io/developer/505409005) |

## What reviewers say

### Chess Time

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-time-multiplayer-chess/id455602152)

Engage in online chess matches with friends or players worldwide. This app supports correspondence play with extended move times and offers features like in-game chat and customizable themes. Track your progress with an auto-calculated ELO rating.

**Highlights:** Online correspondence chess, Play with friends, Global player matchmaking, In-game chat, Customizable chess sets and themes, Auto-calculated ELO rating, PGN export

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Chess Time Premium | $1.99 | per month |
| Chess Time Premium - Annual | $17.99 | per year |
| IOS Chess Time Pro | $4.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Simple and easy to use
- 🌍 Cross-platform play
- 📊 Detailed player stats and rankings
- 💬 In-game chat functionality
- 🕰️ Flexible time controls for games

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional glitches and bugs
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 💰 Ads can be intrusive
- 🔒 Lack of robust anti-cheat measures
- 🖥️ Outdated or basic user interface

**Reported bugs**

- Game incorrectly declaring draws on checkmate
- Inability to castle or move pieces in certain situations
- Notification issues across different devices

**Requested features**

- Ability to invite friends to watch ongoing games
- Option to disable move analysis for rated games
- Faster move processing and real-time gameplay
- More diverse chess piece and board designs
- In-app purchase to remove ads permanently


### Chess Prime 3D

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/chess-prime-3d/id990477277)

Engage in classic chess with stunning 3D graphics and versatile play modes. Challenge yourself with puzzles, play against AI or friends online, and learn with helpful move indicators. Save games, customize the board, and master openings.

**Highlights:** 3D and 2D board views, Single player and two player modes, Online multiplayer with chat, Hundreds of chess puzzles, Adjustable AI difficulty, Legal move highlighting, Board setup and save/load

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (1)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Remove Ads | $2.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Great app, easy to use
- 👍 Versatile with customization options
- 🎨 Excellent 3D graphics and visuals
- 💡 Helpful for learning and improving chess skills

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional connection issues and glitches
- ⏱️ Frustrating timer and move registration problems
- 💰 Ads can be intrusive and disruptive
- 🤖 Difficulty levels can be unbalanced and overly challenging

**Reported bugs**

- Pieces not moving as expected
- Game freezing or crashing during play
- Incorrect move registrations and stalemate issues

**Requested features**

- Online multiplayer with chat functionality
- Ability to save and review game history
- Option to play background music from device
- Improved matchmaking and difficulty balancing


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Chess Time free?

Chess Time is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Chess Prime 3D free?

Chess Prime 3D is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Chess Time or Chess Prime 3D?

Chess Time is rated higher. Chess Time averages 4.7 out of 5 from 1.7K ratings, while Chess Prime 3D averages 4.6 from 62K ratings.

### Do Chess Time or Chess Prime 3D have ads?

Both Chess Time and Chess Prime 3D show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Chess Time or Chess Prime 3D?

Chess Time ships an update every 10 days, and Chess Prime 3D every 3 weeks. Most recently, Chess Time was updated on September 28, 2026 and Chess Prime 3D on September 29, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*